The Shaman’s Journey: The Value of Emotional Control

The power of emotion is a subject that few have talked about yet it is a gift given to us of immense value. A Shaman not only realizes the value of emotion but learns to control that power to effect healing and manifestation of all good things.

After all, healing is a manifestation of health. The hunter in the forest waits for his prey patiently and with emotional control. He does not shout out when he sees a deer or moan loudly when the day is rainy. He controls his emotions to manifest food for the tribe.

“A man who is swayed by negative emotions may have good enough intentions, may be truthful in word, but he will never find the Truth.”
– Gandhi

But what is the power of emotion? Have you ever been to a football game and you really got into it and cheered and clapped and when the game was over you think that time passed really fast? Perhaps you have felt this when you have gone to a fantastic movie. Or have you ever sat in the dentist’s chair for 20 minutes and felt like it took forever? It was your emotions that caused time to speed up or slow down.

And what about your emotions? Do you ever think that you have control over your emotions? Do you know that they are just buttons on the soda dispenser machine to choose which flavor of soda you prefer? Do you realize they are about as useful as a can of Cola? Sure they nourish you, but with empty calories and they waste your time and money!

A Shaman will tell you that the only reason for emotions is to manifest what is needed for healing! Don’t waste your time feeling jealous or hurt or angry. You will just extend the length of time of the apparent hurt. And if you want to savor a beautiful thing or spend quality time with a loved one, don’t get too excited about it or it will be over in a flash.

People today run their lives by how they feel emotionally. With every single thing that happens, they judge its goodness by asking themselves, “How does this make me feel?” If you think about it you will admit that you ask yourself that question as much as one hundred times each day. But is that any way to run your life? Perhaps today taking a bath makes you feel terrible and so you do not take a bath but then next week taking a bath will make you feel good and so you take a bath. It becomes a whimsy, a folly, a willow in the wind without any reason or rhyme to run your life on your feelings. And yet, this is really how people judge everything that comes and goes in their lives! How can any decent choices be made like this? Where did we learn this?

We learned to live based on our emotional responses when we were very little. If we wanted something we yelled and cried and carried on until we got it. We learned that expressing negative emotions would get us what we were looking for from our parents and siblings. We learned to manipulate others with our emotions to get what we thought we wanted. And what we wanted changed all the time. Every now and then we would reach a crevasse and not even know what we wanted! But it has always been “How does this make me feel? I feel good, then I keep it and get more. I feel bad then I throw it away even if it was really good for me or even if I will probably want it tomorrow.” We let emotions rule our life and they are nothing but buttons on a soda machine.

A Shaman says that by controlling your emotions you gain the power of emotions to manifest healing. And it’s true! By eliminating negativity in all its forms in your life you attract goodness to yourself. Positive attracts more positive. By actively controlling your emotions and seeing that each time you think a negative thought you immediately and consciously replace it with a positive happy, uplifting thought, you can completely turn your life around from losing to winning. Many of our modern gurus have written books on this subject. Read any one of them and see they are saying, control your emotions and change your life.

Be in control of your emotions don’t let them be in control of you. Because if you let emotions run your life you have given up the rudder and sails and you are floundering around going no where. If you want to heal, think healing thoughts, get excited about healing, work yourself up into a healing mode, really put yourself into it. Shamans use drumming and chanting and power songs and dancing to bring the power of emotions into their healing ceremonies. Remember that football game? Get into your intent for abundance or healing or joy. Sing, dance, and pray out loud.

With the proper intent set in place and the proper degree of emotion as well as the knowledge of the ways to accomplish it, anything can be yours, including a complete remission from cancer. I have seen this with my own eyes.

Many philosophers and psychologists have sought to do away with emotion, so that by eliminating all emotion we can be centered in mind and body. A Shaman says, embrace the power of your gift of emotion but find the knowledge to use it with wisdom in deliberate creation of goodness. Don’t get rid of anything about you. Learn all your tools and then practice with intention and emotional control.

* * *

Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls is one of America’s most loved elder teachers of Shamanism for today’s modern society. Her classes are always ongoing online and she also offers free initial counseling to anyone who wishes it. Visit her site to learn more at www.shamanelder.com

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“I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.” ― Marilyn Monroe